Breech release mechanism



March' 10, 1959 L F, MULNO 2,876,576

' BREECH RELEASE MECHANISM Filed May 13, 1958 Fig. I A

*IIWMHHHHI 34 INVENTOR. LESTER F. MULNO mmv, Jenna, wmm'a-mwmu ATTORNEYS United tates BREECH RELEASE MECHANISM Application May 13, 1958, Serial No. 734,961

9 Claims. (Cl. 42-44) Conventional shot guns have a lbreech release operated by a transversely swinging lever mounted on the top of the frame adjacentto the junction of the frame and stock and in aiming and firing the gun it is the usual practice to hold the forend with one hand andy grasp the stock adjacent to the frame with the other hand so that the foreiinger contacts the trigger. When thus held and fired the breech release lever tends to bite into the fleshy part of the hand between the thumb and forelinger and after the gun has been fired several times a noticeable soreness develops. Moreover, when such a release lever is operated it is apt to pinch the fingers unless care is taken to see to it that they are out of the path of swing. A 'further objection to the conventional construction is that the hammer is operated by a main spring assembly which projects into the stock which has been cut away to receive such parts, thus weakening the stock to an appreciable extent.

The principal objects of the present invention are to overcome the aforementioned objectionable features and to provide a shotgun or riile with a reliable breech release capable of being quickly operated by either hand and to provide a shotgun or rie which has a strong and durable construction and is less costly to manufacture than the conventional types.

Further objects relate to features of construction and will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary top plan view of the frame of a shotgun embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the parts shown in Fig. l, showing the barrel or breech locked in safety rebound position; and

Fig. 3 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, but showing the breech release and the barrel tipped downwardly.

In accordance with the present invention a breech loading firearm, such as a shotgun or rifle having a barrel pivotally supported by the frame and a ring member such as a bolt or hammer movable from a safety rebound position to a cocked position, is provided with a kbreech or' barrel release mechanism comprising a latch member movable within the frame from a breech-locking position, wherein it engages a locking abutment carried by the barrel', to a breech-release position, wherein it clears the abutment so that the barrel may be swung open to' provide access to its chamber. An operating or release lever is preferably juxtaposed to the firing member and is interconnected with the latch member so as to move it to and from breech-locking position, and resilient means such as a spring normally urges the latch to and holds it in locking position.

The firing member carries a pin or the like projection engageable with a cam-like element formed on or carried by the release lever so that the tiring member 'is movable to cock position only when the latch is in locking position, and when in cocked position the release lever cannot be operatedl to release the breech latch. Hence, the gunmust'be tired or the tiring `meniber'returned to atent safety rebound position in order to operate the breech latch.

Where the tiring member is a pivotally mounted hammer of conventional design and construction, a pair of spaced interconnected torsion springs are carried by the hammer pin or pivot so that corresponding ends act on the hammer and their opposite ends act on the abutment or the like formed on the frame, vthus eliminating the usual main spring assembly and the necessity of forming a relatively large opening in the stock to receive such parts. Moreover, the use of a torsion spring, rather than the conventional main spring assembly permits the hammer to be lowered or moved to safety position with much greater ease, and hence the danger or accidental tiring is minimized.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates the 'frame of a shotgun which is formed with forwardly extending parallel webs 2 having a joint pin (Fig. 2) which pivotally supports a barrel 4 having a chamber 5. Beneath the chamber section the barrel is secured 'to an elongate block 6 which is drilled so as slidably to support a spring-loaded ejector 8, the rear end of which is integral with a lug 10. The upper part of this lug is feathered and engageable with the rim of a shell so that it is operative to eject it when the barrel is swung open.

The underface of the ejector 8 is formed with spaced notches, as indicated at 11 (Fig. 2), and beneath the ejector the block 6 is slotted to provide a cavity 12. An ejector latch 14 is pivotally mounted within the cavity 12 on a pin 15 and the rear of this latch is formed with a tail 16 against which an ejector latch (spring 18 acts. The upper edge of the latch 18 is formed with a beak 2t) normally engageable with the rearward notch of the ejector so as to hold it in retracted position, as shown in Fig. 2. The forward end of the latch 14 carries a laterally projecting pin 21 engageable with an abutment or the like carried by the webs 2 so as to disengage vthe beak from the rear notch and permit it to engage the forward notch, thus limiting the outward movement of the ejector.

Beneath the lug '10 the block 26 is formed with an inclined latch abutment 24, and forwardly of the block 6 is the forend iron 25 (Fig. 2) carried by the forend 26, which parts may be of conventional design and construction. Since,v these parts and those associated therewith constitute no part of the present invention a more detailed description is unnecessary, other than to point out that when the barrel is swung to loading position the latch 14 comes into voperation to release the ejector which throws the Ishell outwardly, and when the barrel is swung to closed position the outer face of the lug 10 engages that part of the frame contiguous to the chamber 5 below the firing piu and is thus restored to retracted position.

The rear part of the frame 1 is attached to the stock 28 by a tang screw 30 land beneath the inner end of the tang screw the frame is formed with a transverse abutmentl 32. Between the stock and barrel the frame is formed with a cavity 34 in which the breech release and firing mechanisms are housed.

The breech release mechanism comprises a barrel catch or latch 36 pivotally 4supported by a pin 3S carried by the frame. The inner end of this latch is engageable with the latch abutment 24 so as to hold the barrel in breech-locking position (Fig. 2). A block 40 pinned to the frame carries a small compression spring 41 which normally holds the latch 36 in locking position. The outer end of the latch is formed with teeth 42 meshing with similar teeth formed on the inner end of a release lever 44, which is pivotally supported by a pin 45 carried bythe frame.

The lever 44 extends rearwardly with its end projecting 3 Y outwardly beyond the frame and terminating ina laterally extending thumb piece 46 which overhangs the frame, as shown in Fig. 1. The depth or thickness of the latch is considerably greater than that of the lever so as to permit the latter to assume an offset position relative to the longitudinal center of the gun. The spring 41 not only normally holds the latch 36 in locking position, but also acts through the intermeshing teeth of the latch and lever to hold the thumb piece extended. Hence, when inward pressure is applied to the thumb piece 46, the latch swings counterclockwise to breech-release position, as shown in Fig. 3, wherein the end of the latch clears the abutment 24 to permit the barrel and parts'carried thereby to be swung to loading position. When thepressure on the thumb piece is released the parts are returned by.

the spring 41 to locking position., Y

Pivotally mounted on-a pin 48. carried by the frame is a hammer 50 having av striking face engageable with the tiring pin 52 which is normally held by "a small com'- pression spring 54 in safety rebound position, wherein its end is held spaced from a shell in the chamber 5. The underface of the hammer is formed with spaced notches, the forward notch being the safety rebound position and the rear notch being the cocking position. A springloaded trigger plunger 55 carried by block 40 acts on a trigger 56 pivotally supported by a pin 58 carried by the frame. which projects downwardly into the contines of the trigger guard 60 and its upper end is formed with a latch finger 60 engageable with one of the notches of the hammer.l

A pair of spaced torsion springs 64 having innerconnected corresponding ends isA carried by the pivot 48 with the convolutions of the springs disposed in opposite sides of the hammer sok that their interconnected ends 65 act on the rear face ofthe hammer and their other ends 66 act on the abutment 32. The force exerted by the springs when the hammer is in cocked position is suticient to overcomel that exerted by the rebound spring 54 and effect firing of a shell in the chamber 5.

One face of the release lever 44 is juxtaposed to the hammer and below the lever the hammer carries a laterally projecting safety pin 68. The lower arcuate edge 70 is shaped to provide a cam-like element or wedging surface which is engaged by the pin 68 to prevent the hammer from being swung to cocked position when the breech is released, as shown in Fig. 3, and when the breech is locked the pin permits the hammer to be swung to cocked position, but does not permit the lever to be depressed. Hence, when the gun is fully cocked it will remain breeched because of the engagement of the safety pin 68 with the cam surface 70 and the gun must be tired or the hammer lowered to safety position. In order to cock the gun the breech must be locked and the hammer must be in the safety rebound position, otherwise the cam surface 70 prevents swinging the hammer to cocked position, as indicated by the dot and dash lines of Figs. 2 and 3.

A further feature of the invention is that the kuse of torsion springs not only eliminates the necessity of drilling a relatively large hole in the stock and the consequent weakening of stock, but also avoids using a relatively expensive main spring assembly, thus appreciably `reducing the manufacturing cost without sacricing quality. Indeed, the use of torsion springs permits easier cocking and since less strength is required to return the hammer to safety position, the likelihood of accidental tiring is minimized.

While I have shown and described one desirable embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that various modilications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a breech-loading firearm having a barrel pivotally supported by the frame and formed with a latch abut- The trigger 56 has the usual finger piece 58 ment and a ring member spaced from the barrel cham-` l ber and movable from a cocked position to a safety rebound position, a breech release mechanism comprising a latch member movable within the frame from ay lsaid firing member isl movable to cocked position only when said latch member is in locking position. l

2. In a breech-loading rearm'having a barrel pivotally l supported by the `frame and formed with a latch abutment and a firing member spaced from the barrel chamber and movable from ka cocked position to a safety reboundl position, a breech release mechanism comprising a latch member pivotally mounted within theframe so as to swing from a breech-locking position, wherein it engages saidy latch abutment, to a breech-release postion, wherein the barrel may be swung `so as to provide access to its chamber, an operating lever pivotally supported by said frame .with its free end portion extending outwardly thereof, the other end portion being nterconnected with said latch member so as to move it to and from breech-locking. position, resilient means normally holding said latch member in breech-locking' positiom a projection carriedk by said tiring member, and cam-like means carried by said lever and engageable with said projection so that said tiring member is movable to cocked position only when said latch member is in locking position. p

3. A firearm as set forth in claiml 2, wherein one end of said latch and one end of said lever are provided with intermeshing teeth operative to swing said latch member to breach-release position in response to pivotal movement of said lever.

4. In a breech-loading firearm having a barrel pivotally` supported by the frame and formed with a latch abutment and a hammer pivotally mounted on said frame so as to swing from a cocked position to a safety rebound position, a breech release mechanism comprising a latch member movable within the frame from a breechlocking position, wherein it engages said latch abutment, to a breech-release position, wherein the barrel may be swung so as to provide access to its chamber, an operating lever having one end portion projecting outwardly of said frame and its inner end portion being interconnected with said latch member so as to move it to and from breech-locking position, resilient means normally holding said latch member in breech-locking position, a lateral projection carried by said hammer, and cam-like means carried by said lever and engageable with said projection so that said hammer is movable to cocked position only when said latch member is in locking position.

5. In a breech-loading firearm having a barrel pivotally supported by the frame and formed with a latch abutment and a hammer pivotally mounted on said frame so as to swing from a cocked position to a safety rebound position, a breech release mechanism comprising a latch pivotally mounted within the frame so as to swing from a breech-locking position, wherein it engages said latch abutment, to a breech-release position, wherein the barrel may be swung so as to provide access to its chamber, an operating lever pivotally supported by said frame with its free end portion juxtaposed to one side of said hammer, said lever being interconnected with said latch so as to move it to and from breech-locking position, resilient means normally holding said latch in breechlocking position, a lateral projection j carried by said hammer, and cam-like means carried 'by said lever and engageable with said projection so that said hammer is movable to cocked position only when said latch is in locking position.

6. A rearm as set forth in claim 5, wherein the pivoted end portions of said lever and latch are provided with intermeshing teeth operative to swing said latch to breech-release position in response to inward swing movement of said lever.

7. A rearm as set forth in claim 4, wherein the pivotal mounting for said hammer carries a torsion spring one end of which acts on said hammer and its other end acts on an abutment carried by said frame.

8. A firearm as set forth in claim 1, wherein one face of said lever is found to provide said cam-like means.

9. A rearm as set forth in claim 5, wherein the inner longitudinal edge of said lever is of generally arcuate shape and provides said cam-like means.

No references cited. 

